Toy darts, rockets and similar toy projectiles and the associated launching devices for these toy darts have long provided amusement for youngsters. To add to the enjoyment of observing the flight of the toy dart, whistles and other sounding generating devices have been included to create sounds as a result of air flowing over the toy dart during flight.
A recent type of toy dart or rocket has an elongate body formed from expanded or extruded polyethylene foam and foam fins secured to at least one end to guide the toy's flight. Toy darts of this configuration have the advantage that the polyethylene foam is inherently soft and energy absorbing, and thus, reduces the likelihood of damage or injury caused by the impact of the toy dart with an object or a person. In fact, toy industry requirements dictate that at least the leading edge of the toy dart meet certain criteria for the softness of the material.
To maintain the above-mentioned benefits of a foam toy dart, and recognizing that the typical sound emitting device is formed from harder plastic materials, it has been necessary to mount the sound emitting device along the body of the toy dart and not on the leading end of the toy dart. To accomplish such attachment at least requires forming an aperture in the body, and securing the sound emitting device within the aperture. This adds to the cost and complexity of toy. Another disadvantage associated with positioning the sound emitting device along the body is that it is removed from the direct air stream over the toy dart during flight, thereby reducing its effectiveness for emitting sound.